Falling Into Love with You (The Hate-Love Duet #2) - Lauren Rowe Page 0,5
realize that’s not the predominant emotion I’m feeling. That, in fact, I’m feeling mostly disappointment that Laila believed my bullshit about the song not being completely true. Did I secretly hope Laila would see right through my lies and force me to come clean and confess everything to her? No. That’s a ludicrous thought, especially since I don’t even know what “coming clean” and “confessing everything” would mean in this situation. What do I honestly feel for Laila? I know Laila blasted her way into my sexual fantasies when I saw her music video during the international leg of our tour, and that she cast one hell of a spell on me when I laid eyes on her at Reed’s party. But like Kendrick’s said to me in the past, I think it’s highly possible I’ve only wanted what I can’t have. Is Laila nothing but a sex kitten fantasy for me, and the real Laila, if I got to know her, wouldn’t interest me at all? Honestly, I don’t know. And until I do, I’m sticking to my story that “Hate Sex High” is only based on the truth.
“No, Savage,” Kendrick says, out of nowhere, apparently, reacting to my facial expression. “We talked about this last night.”
“What?”
Kendrick’s jaw tightens. “Feel free to mind fuck anyone else, if that’s what gets you off. Make anyone else fall for you, right before you toss them aside because they’ve become ‘boring’ to you when the chase is over. But don’t you dare pull any of your usual shit with Laila, or I swear, I’ll take it personally, like you’ve pulled that shit on me. You understand?”
I exhale. “You already said all this to me last night.”
“But not when you were sober. I’m just making sure we’re clear.”
All of a sudden, it hits me like a ton of bricks: Kendrick is in love with Laila. Or, at least, he thinks he is. Surely, his head knows by now he can’t have her, but his heart still hasn’t gotten the memo. “We’re clear,” I reply softly. “I promise I won’t pull my usual bullshit with her.”
Kendrick’s Adam’s apple bobs. He nods, but before he’s said a word, a female voice sings out, “Hey, boys!” And when we turn to look, it’s Aloha, coming up the path from Reed’s guest house alongside Laila, both women looking made-up and camera-ready.
“Hey, girls,” Kendrick replies brightly, while I look down at my toes, feeling awkward about my earlier conversation with Laila.
The women reach Kendrick and me and Laila announces she’s listened to our entire album and loves it. Kendrick thanks her, so I look up and thank her, too. But the minute our eyes meet, Laila quickly looks away.
“I had a couple notes on the mixes,” Laila says to Kendrick. She itemizes them and I’m impressed by her observations.
“Awesome notes, Laila,” Kendrick says, giving voice to my thoughts. “I’ll send your thoughts along to Zeke and the band. I’m sure we’ll make a few adjustments.”
Laila responds to Kendrick, and as she talks, I can’t stop staring at her, willing her look at me. But no dice. She only has eyes for Kendrick. My gaze drifts to Aloha’s green eyes to find her staring at me. And the second our eyes meet, Aloha flashes me a look that reinforces everything Kendrick said to me a moment ago: Don’t fuck with my friend.
I look away from Aloha’s scowl, feeling exposed. Embarrassed. And, mostly, annoyed. It’s one thing for my best friend to bitch-slap me. He has that right. But I’m not going to cower to anyone else. Least of all a Disney princess who’s obviously passed judgment on me, based on something she knows nothing about. Aloha is good friends with both Colin’s ex and Dax’s wife. So I’m sure she’s heard plenty of stories from both women about me being a player. Come to think of it, I think I might have ghosted Colin’s ex after we hooked up. Maybe? So, I guess Aloha has good reason to dislike me. But, still, there’s no reason for Aloha to send me that big a nonverbal “fuck you.” I didn’t kill anyone, for fuck’s sake. I just didn’t return a few texts!
I look at the ground, since that’s the only safe place for me to look right now, and a moment later, a production assistant arrives to let us know we’re minutes away from the press conference. “We need the full cast to get dressed and head into Reed’s game room,”